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Death as a Living: Investigating Murder in the American Heartland
One of the Midwest’s most accomplished homicide detectives reveals the secrets behind his most notorious cases. Part memoir, part police procedural, and part true crime anthology, Death as a Living reveals the inside world of homicide and death investigation—the triumph, tragedy, humor, and truly bizarre situations one finds when working that beat.
For more than thirty years, involving more than one thousand cases, Burke has worked as a death investigator—first with the Dayton, Ohio police department, then with a county coroner’s office. In Death as a Living, he shares his tricks of the trade: how detectives solve cases, what they look for, the importance of forensic science, and the irreplaceable value of instinct.
Along the way, Burke offers humorous trial anecdotes, thoughts on race and policing, stories about the fatal toll stress took on fellow officers, and, perhaps most movingly, details about the three fatal shootings of police officers—one of them one of his first friends at the department, another the son of his sergeant—that shaped his career.
For more than thirty years, involving more than one thousand cases, Burke has worked as a death investigator—first with the Dayton, Ohio police department, then with a county coroner’s office. In Death as a Living, he shares his tricks of the trade: how detectives solve cases, what they look for, the importance of forensic science, and the irreplaceable value of instinct.
Along the way, Burke offers humorous trial anecdotes, thoughts on race and policing, stories about the fatal toll stress took on fellow officers, and, perhaps most movingly, details about the three fatal shootings of police officers—one of them one of his first friends at the department, another the son of his sergeant—that shaped his career.
285 pages, Paperback
Published November 12, 2021
25 people are currently reading
3538 people want to read
About the author
Doyle Burke
1 book31 followersI became interested in police work while working at a local grocery store with an off duty police officer. I went on a ride-along with him and was captivated. I became a Dayton Police Officer in 1978. I rose to the rank of Homicide Detective and stayed in Homicide for 22 years. I retired from Dayton after 29 years and took a job as Chief Investigator for the Warren County Coroner where I have been for the past 15 years. I also taught Death Investigation at the Ohio Police Officer Training Academy for over 30 years while still doing my full time job. Year after year people would say "you should write a book". One day I decided to take their advice. I jotted down several points I wanted to make and researched my old cases for ones that would illustrate those points. It was a trip down memory lane for me and I really enjoyed writing this book. I hope you enjoy reading it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
September 5, 2022
“But Death was Final, and I was already learning, it Wore You Down as an Investigator”
These are the words of Doyle Burke, who worked for the Dayton County Police Department for 30 years, most as a Detective, and investigated 1,000 cases.
This book takes you behind the Police Tape and offers a rare glimpse inside how Homicide work is really done. It is interesting to learn how using your experience, gut, science, and hard work go into trying to solve a homicide case. Most are solved and successfully prosecuted, but not all. It becomes obvious why this would take a toll on a person and be a highly stressful job.
Reading about different cases, I did like this. It gives you insight into how detective work actually happens and the kind of evidence that is needed to successfully prosecute a case. Some of the stories are quite gruesome, but no matter how the case happens it stays with the detective and worse the families and friends of a person whose life has been taken away in a violent matter.
Sadly, many cases are completely senseless. Doyle speaks of a case where a man shoots at 9 people, 5 of whom die. A young child, witnesses him killing his family. He must testify. The reason for all this is because of domestic violence. This is a very good example of why prior domestic violence incidents really need serious attention. Domestic Violence tends to escalate. The man has been living with his girlfriend and is furious she will not give him money to go and drink. He becomes outraged and starts shooting the entire family in the house. The level of anger and his horrific actions, just don’t make sense to most of us for this kind of argument. Yet, these types of incidents happen more frequently then it is easy to ever comprehend. Detectives know this and witness it and must then investigate these crimes, but it is senseless to them as well.
The author does a good job showcasing the difficulty of being a Homicide Detective. He talks about Dayton, Ohio and how it has changed since he grew up there. Many decent manufacturers jobs were lost and poverty crept in. So much so, that it was called the ‘Hillbilly Heroin Crisis’ and with drugs come danger and death. He talks about the divide between black people and white people and how that decided on which part of the town you lived in. He is sympathetic to many suffering, he holds each family in his heart, thinks about the victims, and really made me understand being a police officer better. He is honest about conflicts, too.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the tough and gritty world that a Homicide Detective encounters. True Crime fans will enjoy this book, it speaks of so many cases and tells how they were investigated. It is also a memoir from a man who spent his life working around death. There is insight learned doing this and there is a burden one carries forever.
Thank you NetGalley, Doyle Burke, and Ink Shares for granting me a copy of this book. I am always happen to share my opinion and leave a review.
These are the words of Doyle Burke, who worked for the Dayton County Police Department for 30 years, most as a Detective, and investigated 1,000 cases.
This book takes you behind the Police Tape and offers a rare glimpse inside how Homicide work is really done. It is interesting to learn how using your experience, gut, science, and hard work go into trying to solve a homicide case. Most are solved and successfully prosecuted, but not all. It becomes obvious why this would take a toll on a person and be a highly stressful job.
Reading about different cases, I did like this. It gives you insight into how detective work actually happens and the kind of evidence that is needed to successfully prosecute a case. Some of the stories are quite gruesome, but no matter how the case happens it stays with the detective and worse the families and friends of a person whose life has been taken away in a violent matter.
Sadly, many cases are completely senseless. Doyle speaks of a case where a man shoots at 9 people, 5 of whom die. A young child, witnesses him killing his family. He must testify. The reason for all this is because of domestic violence. This is a very good example of why prior domestic violence incidents really need serious attention. Domestic Violence tends to escalate. The man has been living with his girlfriend and is furious she will not give him money to go and drink. He becomes outraged and starts shooting the entire family in the house. The level of anger and his horrific actions, just don’t make sense to most of us for this kind of argument. Yet, these types of incidents happen more frequently then it is easy to ever comprehend. Detectives know this and witness it and must then investigate these crimes, but it is senseless to them as well.
The author does a good job showcasing the difficulty of being a Homicide Detective. He talks about Dayton, Ohio and how it has changed since he grew up there. Many decent manufacturers jobs were lost and poverty crept in. So much so, that it was called the ‘Hillbilly Heroin Crisis’ and with drugs come danger and death. He talks about the divide between black people and white people and how that decided on which part of the town you lived in. He is sympathetic to many suffering, he holds each family in his heart, thinks about the victims, and really made me understand being a police officer better. He is honest about conflicts, too.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the tough and gritty world that a Homicide Detective encounters. True Crime fans will enjoy this book, it speaks of so many cases and tells how they were investigated. It is also a memoir from a man who spent his life working around death. There is insight learned doing this and there is a burden one carries forever.
Thank you NetGalley, Doyle Burke, and Ink Shares for granting me a copy of this book. I am always happen to share my opinion and leave a review.
July 12, 2021
Hello readers. I am Doyle Burke, the author of this book. This book gives an inside look at homicide investigation using some of the cases I investigated during my 22 years as a homicide detective. I sincerely hope you find it interesting and insightful. Thank you.
July 19, 2021
A detective (a real detective with twenty-two years of experience in Homicide) writes memoirs. Thus, the first line of a true-crime TV series is born.
'Death as a Living' by Doyle Burke and Lou Grieco is a captivating book, one that could be both entertaining and horrifying at the same time. Wrapped in an everyday casual language, stories from different years - without strict order but with their inner logic - tell us a story of a man who dedicated his life to hard, stressful work. Doyle Burke spent 29 years in police and 22 of them in Homicide in a small town in Ohio. His work was of a particularly high-risk category. It involved quick decision-making, routine background checks, and hours of interacting with people, both innocent and guilty of crimes. There were terrible times when despite all efforts, the bad guys got away from the prosecution. There was a relief when justice prevailed, and the victim's relatives could get the answers to what happened to their loved ones. There were times for personal joy and times for grief over dead friends.
The book contains all details that true-crime lovers anticipate seeing in this kind of narrative. What's the difference between CSI TV series and real life? How is the detective work organized? What units do work together on a homicide? What evidence is needed to put a killer under bars for a long time? In what cases and how does a killer gets the death penalty?
Though the book is fun, the cases described in it are far from the definition of entertainment. Fictional vampires and werewolves are little sheep, compared to the killers that detective Doyle Burke had encountered during his career. The saddest thing is that motives to kill always, except for self-defense, seem senseless in comparison to the scale of destruction. Some cases changed the detective. After reading his book, I will never forget these victims, too.
I would recommend the book to those who love well-written memoirs and those who want to see the insides of detective work. The book deserves its own TV show. For me, it is the most remarkable nonfiction book of this year.
Thank you, Netgalley and the author, for an ARC of the book, in exchange for an honest review.
'Death as a Living' by Doyle Burke and Lou Grieco is a captivating book, one that could be both entertaining and horrifying at the same time. Wrapped in an everyday casual language, stories from different years - without strict order but with their inner logic - tell us a story of a man who dedicated his life to hard, stressful work. Doyle Burke spent 29 years in police and 22 of them in Homicide in a small town in Ohio. His work was of a particularly high-risk category. It involved quick decision-making, routine background checks, and hours of interacting with people, both innocent and guilty of crimes. There were terrible times when despite all efforts, the bad guys got away from the prosecution. There was a relief when justice prevailed, and the victim's relatives could get the answers to what happened to their loved ones. There were times for personal joy and times for grief over dead friends.
The book contains all details that true-crime lovers anticipate seeing in this kind of narrative. What's the difference between CSI TV series and real life? How is the detective work organized? What units do work together on a homicide? What evidence is needed to put a killer under bars for a long time? In what cases and how does a killer gets the death penalty?
Though the book is fun, the cases described in it are far from the definition of entertainment. Fictional vampires and werewolves are little sheep, compared to the killers that detective Doyle Burke had encountered during his career. The saddest thing is that motives to kill always, except for self-defense, seem senseless in comparison to the scale of destruction. Some cases changed the detective. After reading his book, I will never forget these victims, too.
I would recommend the book to those who love well-written memoirs and those who want to see the insides of detective work. The book deserves its own TV show. For me, it is the most remarkable nonfiction book of this year.
Thank you, Netgalley and the author, for an ARC of the book, in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2021
Death as a Living, is an convincing and personal account of true crime from Doyle Burke, a detective with the Ohio Police Department (and later with the county corners office). It’s part memoir, part police procedural, and park true crime anthology.. It depicts the inside world of homicide and death investigation, the triumph and tragedy, the marks than stain a soul forever.
As he looked back on his career, the early experiences helped him better understand victims and witnesses - how they felt, and the impact on their lives. As a homicide detective in order to survive the stress and the horrors that one see’s, no officer, no matter how seasoned they are, no matter how many years in service, can ever get used to it.
This is an excellent read for anyone who is interested in first account homicide detective work.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. #DeathasaLiving
As he looked back on his career, the early experiences helped him better understand victims and witnesses - how they felt, and the impact on their lives. As a homicide detective in order to survive the stress and the horrors that one see’s, no officer, no matter how seasoned they are, no matter how many years in service, can ever get used to it.
This is an excellent read for anyone who is interested in first account homicide detective work.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. #DeathasaLiving
August 14, 2021
I love reading Mystery and Crime Novels, and sometimes True Crime, too, if it's smartly written.
When reading a novel, you usually think that everything might be a little over the top. In case of the action and the characters, that might very well be true (it's called dramatization), but when you think that gruesome murder scene in your last novel was a little far fetched - well, Doyle Burke will teach you different.
He's a real homicide detective, sharing stories from his career spanning more than two decades. And he's not holding back, whether it being gruesome details or the banalities of the triggers that caused these scenes. (I think the banalities make some of this crimes even harder to cope with.)
He's probably seen one too many crime scenes, too.
That being said: You should be aware that some truly gruesome tales await you here. After having read this, you will understand why so many detectives in novels or on the screen seem to have a drinking problem (or something similar). Because really - I've felt the need for a stiff drink while reading this more than once.
And words to the wise: It's not always the homicides that are worst. There is a story here about a girl called Alice and an elevator accident. It's not the most violent story herein, but it stayed with me long after reading it.
Welcome to the elevator from hell.
But Doyle also gives us some history lessons, especially of Dayton in the 1960s. It mixes everything up quite nice.
Also interesting is the fact that Doyle worked the 1992 Christmas Killings, an infamous killing spree that lasted 3 days. You'll be shocked to learn the banal truth behind it.
After all is said and done, this was a fascinating read. I suspect Doyle made up some quirky remarks by him after the fact (because they just sound too cool), but he's a compelling storyteller. And you will gain an insight into humanity's darkest parts as well as into the banality sometimes surrounding someone's demise.
Read during daylight, lest some images haunt you in your dreams.
You can also rest this review on my Blog.
When reading a novel, you usually think that everything might be a little over the top. In case of the action and the characters, that might very well be true (it's called dramatization), but when you think that gruesome murder scene in your last novel was a little far fetched - well, Doyle Burke will teach you different.
He's a real homicide detective, sharing stories from his career spanning more than two decades. And he's not holding back, whether it being gruesome details or the banalities of the triggers that caused these scenes. (I think the banalities make some of this crimes even harder to cope with.)
He's probably seen one too many crime scenes, too.
That being said: You should be aware that some truly gruesome tales await you here. After having read this, you will understand why so many detectives in novels or on the screen seem to have a drinking problem (or something similar). Because really - I've felt the need for a stiff drink while reading this more than once.
And words to the wise: It's not always the homicides that are worst. There is a story here about a girl called Alice and an elevator accident. It's not the most violent story herein, but it stayed with me long after reading it.
Welcome to the elevator from hell.
But Doyle also gives us some history lessons, especially of Dayton in the 1960s. It mixes everything up quite nice.
Also interesting is the fact that Doyle worked the 1992 Christmas Killings, an infamous killing spree that lasted 3 days. You'll be shocked to learn the banal truth behind it.
After all is said and done, this was a fascinating read. I suspect Doyle made up some quirky remarks by him after the fact (because they just sound too cool), but he's a compelling storyteller. And you will gain an insight into humanity's darkest parts as well as into the banality sometimes surrounding someone's demise.
Read during daylight, lest some images haunt you in your dreams.
You can also rest this review on my Blog.
August 19, 2021
A brilliant first hand account of some very harrowing and notorious cases.
Well written, gripping, and modest… this fascinating autobiographical book deserves no less than 4 stars.
Well written, gripping, and modest… this fascinating autobiographical book deserves no less than 4 stars.
August 30, 2021
A gritty true crime book written by a homicide detective from Dayton, Ohio. Burke shares some of his most gruesome and shocking cases from his career. And he has some doozies in this book. Part police procedural and part biography, but all real crimes. He says, "Vicks is designed to open up your nostrils" referring to most officers use of it on their noses hoping to take away the smell of decomposition. "In reality, all it did was give you a minty fresh smell of death." He stuck to his cigars. Advance electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, authors Doyle Burke & Lou Grieco, and the publisher.
September 26, 2021
A fairly standard homicide detective memoir. Some interesting(and disturbing) cases, and I appreciate that Burke focuses on his positive relationships with families of the victims and makes that a through line of the memoir. I think the book was semi-sensitive to the current tensions regarding police today, but I also think it was a bit dismissive of some of the broader concerns about police brutality and black lives matter, and the structural aspects of racism. I get that this wasn't the point of the book, but it's such an important aspect of how we view the criminal justice system that I think most books of this type need to shift in nature. Burke was also a little bit more enthusiastic about the death penalty than I am personally comfortable. All in all, this book was okay- if you're running low on true crime adjacent memoirs, this will scratch an itch, but it wouldn't be my first recommendation
October 11, 2021
An excellent look into the world of a homicide detective. The author was a 30 year veteran with the Dayton (OH) Police Department. His story is a no-holds barred journey into the depths of murder investigation. The writing is so good that you can practically smell and taste the blood, and easily visualize the scenes he presents. He also describes the toll that the profession takes on a person. As a retired law enforcement officer myself, I could relate to much of what he wrote, but am very thankful that I did not have near the exposure to death that he had. I especially liked his take on racial relations, and believe that it could serve as a national model for all police departments. Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reading copy of this book. It's a good one.
September 9, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this copy.
This book deserves 5 stars, even though the author and I have different opinions on a couple of things. This is everything I want in a true crime book. It's well written, giving the most attention to the cases and the victims in particular. The way it's narrated makes you want to devour it in one sitting (unfortunately, I couldn't do that). The author highlights the job of the police department and the detectives, as was expected, but he isn't a self-centered and opinionated white man, which means a lot to me.
Really great book if you like true crime!
This book deserves 5 stars, even though the author and I have different opinions on a couple of things. This is everything I want in a true crime book. It's well written, giving the most attention to the cases and the victims in particular. The way it's narrated makes you want to devour it in one sitting (unfortunately, I couldn't do that). The author highlights the job of the police department and the detectives, as was expected, but he isn't a self-centered and opinionated white man, which means a lot to me.
Really great book if you like true crime!
April 27, 2024
Being a Daytonian it was amazing to read about cases I’ve never heard of happening in places I pass by frequently. Mr. Burke did an amazing job of summarizing his 30 year career on the force.
Thank you for writing this book and for your service.
Thank you for writing this book and for your service.
July 31, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fascinating look into the world of homicide detective work. I made the mistake of reading this book while eating breakfast and about gagged at the description of the maggots and flies on a decomposing body but I still find it all so interesting.
The stories in this book are told well and really gives the reader an inside look into how depraved people can be. But there were also humorous parts and extremely sad parts.
Doyle Burke gives a basic description on aspects of the investigation which will inform those that aren't familiar with the terminology but most people who read a lot of true crime books will probably know a lot of what he's talking about.
I highly respect police officers and this book shows how they do have to sometimes make split second life and death decisions and also how much of a family these officers are with each other.
Fascinating look into the world of homicide detective work. I made the mistake of reading this book while eating breakfast and about gagged at the description of the maggots and flies on a decomposing body but I still find it all so interesting.
The stories in this book are told well and really gives the reader an inside look into how depraved people can be. But there were also humorous parts and extremely sad parts.
Doyle Burke gives a basic description on aspects of the investigation which will inform those that aren't familiar with the terminology but most people who read a lot of true crime books will probably know a lot of what he's talking about.
I highly respect police officers and this book shows how they do have to sometimes make split second life and death decisions and also how much of a family these officers are with each other.
September 22, 2021
I normally avoid true crime (former jail RN and former ER nurse in the days before coppers had departmental support staff) but this one was written by a Homicide Detective who was on The Job. This is a collection of memorials to the murdered in Dayton as viewed by a dedicated copper. Excellently done without journalistic fanfare.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Inkshares via NetGalley. Thank you.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from Inkshares via NetGalley. Thank you.
November 14, 2021
These days the police get a lot of bad press. It's true, there are some dirty cops out there who do terrible things. But the truth is, the vast majority of law enforcement professionals are fine, upstanding people. who put their lives on the line to protect and serve their communities. They don't do it for fame or fortune or status, because more often than not when they interact with people it's on the worst day of that person's life and they don't get much positive feedback for the work they do, even under the best of circumstances. Police work is a calling, much like the clergy. It's not glamorous and you won't get rich doing it, but the intrinsic rewards call people to the profession and the people who do it are all in.
The press and social media thrive on negativity. Making people feel good doesn't cause them to rise up, it doesn't translate into public outcry, which doesn't result in advertising dollars or viral headlines. No, the media wants you to be angry so they'll only tell you the bad things. They'll dig until they find something really awful and then they'll build a context around it that may or may not be accurate and sell it to you as though it was the every day state of life in our country. The media did the same thing in the 1800's and early 1900's to perpetuate racist stereotypes and we managed to eventually recognize that as hate speech and condemn it. But we haven't gotten to that point yet for police officers. We allow the media to paint the entire profession with broad strokes and we allow our culture to perpetuate hatred for perfectly decent people just because of the uniform they wear.
Burke's book opens the lid on the police. What are they really like? What struggles do they face trying to protect the people in their jurisdictions? Why do they do what they do, the way they do it? How does their work effect them? Their families? Most of us, having never served in this capacity, know little or nothing about police work or the police life (though a lot of people think they do because they watch cable television). Burke educates us on what really happens behind the scenes. I found the whole thing fascinating and enlightening and also very sad. I did internet searches on many of the cases Burke discusses in the book because I was interested to know more about the victims and the investigations. I encourage anyone to look up Jorge Del Rio, a young officer who reached out to comfort Burke during a difficult case despite the fact that they barely knew one another. Fast forward almost 30 years to Del Rio being gunned down trying to serve a warrant, leaving his wife a widow and his five daughters without a father. A lifetime of public service cut tragically short, a wonderful man gone, a blind widow who lost her best friend, five young women who will never again get to hear their dad say "I love you." But the media didn't care about Jorge. Think about that for a minute.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I think it's bigger than simply an interesting account of one man's career. Burke talks about community policing, forming relationships with the leaders of the community to build understanding and trust so the police and the citizens can work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone. This book is a broader form of that same concept. He's communicating with the readers to help build the same type of understanding so maybe the next time they interact with a police officer they'll think back to this book and know the police officer they're interacting with is not some monster with a badge, but a person just like you and I. A person who deals with the worst humanity can dish out and has to go home and try to forget the horrors they've seen, a person who puts their life on the line every day, both physically and emotionally, to protect their community.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
The press and social media thrive on negativity. Making people feel good doesn't cause them to rise up, it doesn't translate into public outcry, which doesn't result in advertising dollars or viral headlines. No, the media wants you to be angry so they'll only tell you the bad things. They'll dig until they find something really awful and then they'll build a context around it that may or may not be accurate and sell it to you as though it was the every day state of life in our country. The media did the same thing in the 1800's and early 1900's to perpetuate racist stereotypes and we managed to eventually recognize that as hate speech and condemn it. But we haven't gotten to that point yet for police officers. We allow the media to paint the entire profession with broad strokes and we allow our culture to perpetuate hatred for perfectly decent people just because of the uniform they wear.
Burke's book opens the lid on the police. What are they really like? What struggles do they face trying to protect the people in their jurisdictions? Why do they do what they do, the way they do it? How does their work effect them? Their families? Most of us, having never served in this capacity, know little or nothing about police work or the police life (though a lot of people think they do because they watch cable television). Burke educates us on what really happens behind the scenes. I found the whole thing fascinating and enlightening and also very sad. I did internet searches on many of the cases Burke discusses in the book because I was interested to know more about the victims and the investigations. I encourage anyone to look up Jorge Del Rio, a young officer who reached out to comfort Burke during a difficult case despite the fact that they barely knew one another. Fast forward almost 30 years to Del Rio being gunned down trying to serve a warrant, leaving his wife a widow and his five daughters without a father. A lifetime of public service cut tragically short, a wonderful man gone, a blind widow who lost her best friend, five young women who will never again get to hear their dad say "I love you." But the media didn't care about Jorge. Think about that for a minute.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I think it's bigger than simply an interesting account of one man's career. Burke talks about community policing, forming relationships with the leaders of the community to build understanding and trust so the police and the citizens can work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone. This book is a broader form of that same concept. He's communicating with the readers to help build the same type of understanding so maybe the next time they interact with a police officer they'll think back to this book and know the police officer they're interacting with is not some monster with a badge, but a person just like you and I. A person who deals with the worst humanity can dish out and has to go home and try to forget the horrors they've seen, a person who puts their life on the line every day, both physically and emotionally, to protect their community.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
December 9, 2021
"Part memoir, part police procedural, and part true crime anthology, Death as a Living reveals the inside world of homicide and death investigation—the triumph, tragedy, humor, and truly bizarre situations one finds when working that beat."
(Goodreads synopsis) - And this was exactly what this book was about!
This true crime book focuses on Burke's police career with Dayton PD for almost thirty years with the last twenty-two years as a homicide detective. I liked that he shared a brief history and socioeconomic of Dayton in the book. This definitely gives me a better understanding of the place. The cases he had worked on were interesting and I am not familiar with most of them. Some cases were hard to read.
I loved that the author shared what a police work/career entails - starting from his days as a patrol officer (during the tough midnight shifts), and how he worked his way up from patrol to property crime squads to violent crimes and finally the homicide squad.
The police procedural part was super interesting for me especially the forensics part!
I think the part that I will remember for a long time was how this profession affects and affected the personal life of a police officer - both mentally and emotionally. It was not easy and definitely heart-wrenching to read.
Overall, this was an entertaining, insightful and well-written true crime book! I enjoyed it and recommend it to all true crime fans!
Pub. Date: Dec 21st, 2021
***Thank you Inkshares, authors and NetGalley for this gifted review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.***
This true crime book focuses on Burke's police career with Dayton PD for almost thirty years with the last twenty-two years as a homicide detective. I liked that he shared a brief history and socioeconomic of Dayton in the book. This definitely gives me a better understanding of the place. The cases he had worked on were interesting and I am not familiar with most of them. Some cases were hard to read.
I loved that the author shared what a police work/career entails - starting from his days as a patrol officer (during the tough midnight shifts), and how he worked his way up from patrol to property crime squads to violent crimes and finally the homicide squad.
The police procedural part was super interesting for me especially the forensics part!
I think the part that I will remember for a long time was how this profession affects and affected the personal life of a police officer - both mentally and emotionally. It was not easy and definitely heart-wrenching to read.
Overall, this was an entertaining, insightful and well-written true crime book! I enjoyed it and recommend it to all true crime fans!
Pub. Date: Dec 21st, 2021
***Thank you Inkshares, authors and NetGalley for this gifted review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.***
July 14, 2022
I learned so much in reading this! I once went on a ride along with my good friend who is a police officer in a rough neighborhood. During the shift she kept telling the civilians on the calls we responded to that I was a homicide detective. Had I read this book before then, I probably would’ve held myself differently. I particularly liked learning about MOD, COD, and TOD as well as the role of forensic entomologists. The real life stories were also appreciated. It proves that dramatized crimes are not too far off reality in most cases. The good news is that most of the people who commit those crimes are not master criminals and are often more easily identified than they intended. That doesn’t mean they are easily convicted, which this account clearly outlines. I really enjoyed this book.
October 12, 2021
True crime memoires are always fascinating, for much the same reason why true crime is fascinating, because very few of those who consume it are likely to live a life where we are coming face-to-face with the worst of the world on a daily basis. It is something we can dip in and out of, and put to a side when it becomes too much.
Not so for Doyle Burke who in Death as a Living details his time as a homicide detective in the Dayton Ohio Police Department. If you are looking for the next great literary piece of true crime in the tradition of Capote, then this will not be the book for you, and that is exactly as it should be. True Crime while often tending towards the most shocking, spooky or gruesome does reflect life, thankfully an extreme of life many of us won't experience, but life none-the-less. Burke, who comes across as a down to earth man of the people makes this memoire all the stronger by retaining his authentic voice, which is the books ultimate strength, rather than trying for literary kudos. Read more here https://true-crime-fiction.com/2021/1...
Not so for Doyle Burke who in Death as a Living details his time as a homicide detective in the Dayton Ohio Police Department. If you are looking for the next great literary piece of true crime in the tradition of Capote, then this will not be the book for you, and that is exactly as it should be. True Crime while often tending towards the most shocking, spooky or gruesome does reflect life, thankfully an extreme of life many of us won't experience, but life none-the-less. Burke, who comes across as a down to earth man of the people makes this memoire all the stronger by retaining his authentic voice, which is the books ultimate strength, rather than trying for literary kudos. Read more here https://true-crime-fiction.com/2021/1...
May 4, 2022
An inside look from a retired homicide detective. A good and informative read for all.
August 14, 2021
This non-fiction book written by a retired Dayton, Ohio homicide detective, gives an inside look at how complicated and difficult that career is. Burke gives accounts of some of his memorable cases, and does a very good job of showing empathy for victims, and revealing the dark side of perpetrators. If one is a true crime fan, this book ticks all the boxes.
July 20, 2021
A hauntingly told true story of a homicide detective in Dayton Ohio. I think that Mr. Burke really put his heart and his soul into being a homicide detective. However, he has a career as an author if he chooses. Told with brutal honesty, a bit of humor, and great candor, Mr Burke told fascinating stories and his role in catching the killers. I really appreciated the effort that he went to in the book to say how this affected him, his family, fellow officers.
I never felt that he was rude, sometimes he was dumbfounded as to why a murder took place, I got the feeling that he does NOT take death lightly.
I enjoyed the book (that sounds morbid) and thought that the stories were well thought out and wonderfully spaced....meaning you got a break in between stories to hear about the authors own life.
A definite MUST Read if you are into true crime.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
I never felt that he was rude, sometimes he was dumbfounded as to why a murder took place, I got the feeling that he does NOT take death lightly.
I enjoyed the book (that sounds morbid) and thought that the stories were well thought out and wonderfully spaced....meaning you got a break in between stories to hear about the authors own life.
A definite MUST Read if you are into true crime.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me this ARC in exchange for this honest review.
December 31, 2021
A must reed for any true crime aficionados. It’s part memoir and part giving insight into the real world of investigating homicide .
It was a page turning and easy to read. Couldn’t put it down mm.
It was a page turning and easy to read. Couldn’t put it down mm.
February 23, 2022
In Death as a Living, Doyle Burke tells the stories of memorable homicide cases. Burke was a homicide detective in Dayton, Ohio, investigating over 800 cases, some you would recognize. Burke and I would disagree about a lot of fundamental things about how to handle crime in the USA and on a few ways he understands issues related to race. (I'm against the death penalty. I'm against building more prisons. I don't think seriously mentally ill people belong in jails, even if they require institutionalization and I don't think jail should be the only option even if taxes go up. I think specialists should get some of the money spent on police forces so that psychologists and social workers at least jointly handle some calls. No: you don't joke with black female coworkers in ways that feature race or sex no matter how the two of you think about it...) But you know what? I think we could talk about these things and each justify our positions without hating each other and I bet his positions will be complex and nuanced. Burke gives all of us a clear understanding of the process he went through as one of many players in each homicide. We learn enough about the victims and the perpetrators to understand them as people, place them in society and to comprehend what we all kind of realize, that often the motive for a horrible crime will not explain a darned thing to our satisfaction.
He does an amazing job explaining criminal law to lay people. I am a lawyer, but don't do criminal law. He explains why people have their rights read, why police need a warrant no matter how sure they are they have the right suspect, what the standards are for using deadly force and gives examples where it was properly used and where using a weapon would have saved a cops life. He acknowledges George Floyd's death was criminal and that the three officers who stood by did not do their duty. He even explains why prosecutors lose rock solid cases on appeal. It's not easy to explain these constitutional rights correctly and understandably in a sentence or two. Bravo. Burke also emphasizes the incredible familial relationships among officers that creates tight "got your back" bonds even across state and international borders. This is so well written. It was cowritten by a journalist but you can tell Burke himself tells a cohesive, good story. He must have been a heck of a witness. We hear some gallows humor. We hear some horrifying tales. We see a police officer's perspective that is balanced, interesting and does not ignore the issues faced in policing in the 2020's. I'm delighted I requested this and received it as a Goodreads giveaway! Well done.
He does an amazing job explaining criminal law to lay people. I am a lawyer, but don't do criminal law. He explains why people have their rights read, why police need a warrant no matter how sure they are they have the right suspect, what the standards are for using deadly force and gives examples where it was properly used and where using a weapon would have saved a cops life. He acknowledges George Floyd's death was criminal and that the three officers who stood by did not do their duty. He even explains why prosecutors lose rock solid cases on appeal. It's not easy to explain these constitutional rights correctly and understandably in a sentence or two. Bravo. Burke also emphasizes the incredible familial relationships among officers that creates tight "got your back" bonds even across state and international borders. This is so well written. It was cowritten by a journalist but you can tell Burke himself tells a cohesive, good story. He must have been a heck of a witness. We hear some gallows humor. We hear some horrifying tales. We see a police officer's perspective that is balanced, interesting and does not ignore the issues faced in policing in the 2020's. I'm delighted I requested this and received it as a Goodreads giveaway! Well done.
August 19, 2021
Doyle Burke is a veteran homicide investigator from Dayton, Ohio. After decades of service with the Dayton PD, he became an investigator for the county coroner’s office. This book serves as his memoir, but is also a police procedural and also shares details from a vast collection of the cases he was involved in over the course of his career.
My one and only real criticism of this book is the disparity between how the book is marketed, what is stated in the synopsis and then the disclaimer at the very start of the book. I was drawn in to this book by the description listed on NetGalley. Seems so interesting, right? But then on the page where publishing information is contained, there is also a disclaimer that states “this is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places events and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.” This was an unsettling foot to get off on, but I dove in anyway.
The book contains all the gory case details and forensic science a lover of true crime craves. There was also a fair amount of legalities explained; the ins and outs of a criminal court proceeding, necessities for strong cases and where it can all fall apart. Personally, I also appreciated the point of view that police and detectives are still just people, going to work everyday and doing their best as flawed human beings.
Being a bit of a true crime junkie, I am already familiar with forensic procedures such as blood spatter analysis, stages of decomposition, use of stomach contents to predict time of death and gun shot residue. That said, for the average person, all of these details would be very interesting and educational as they were well laid out and explained in terms not overly technical or confusing. For anyone newly interested in crime investigations, this book is a gold mine of information.
Overall, I thought this was a very well written book. The chapters weren’t too long, the writing was smooth and easy to read. The pacing was perfect to keep the memoir rolling along. This was a really enjoyable book that I would recommend to anyone with a new found interest in true crime and police procedure. 3.5/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Inkshares Publishing and authors Doyle Burke and Lou Grieco for this free eARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
My one and only real criticism of this book is the disparity between how the book is marketed, what is stated in the synopsis and then the disclaimer at the very start of the book. I was drawn in to this book by the description listed on NetGalley. Seems so interesting, right? But then on the page where publishing information is contained, there is also a disclaimer that states “this is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places events and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.” This was an unsettling foot to get off on, but I dove in anyway.
The book contains all the gory case details and forensic science a lover of true crime craves. There was also a fair amount of legalities explained; the ins and outs of a criminal court proceeding, necessities for strong cases and where it can all fall apart. Personally, I also appreciated the point of view that police and detectives are still just people, going to work everyday and doing their best as flawed human beings.
Being a bit of a true crime junkie, I am already familiar with forensic procedures such as blood spatter analysis, stages of decomposition, use of stomach contents to predict time of death and gun shot residue. That said, for the average person, all of these details would be very interesting and educational as they were well laid out and explained in terms not overly technical or confusing. For anyone newly interested in crime investigations, this book is a gold mine of information.
Overall, I thought this was a very well written book. The chapters weren’t too long, the writing was smooth and easy to read. The pacing was perfect to keep the memoir rolling along. This was a really enjoyable book that I would recommend to anyone with a new found interest in true crime and police procedure. 3.5/5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Inkshares Publishing and authors Doyle Burke and Lou Grieco for this free eARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2021
First I wish to thank NetGalley for a chance to read an early release of this book for a true and honest review. Thank you NetGalley!
Ok...so I really liked the book...as an avid reader of true crime it fulfilled that aspect...
Retired detective Doyle Burke ...working with the Dayton, Ohio, police force...recounts several cases from minor to horrid...honestly....horrid...one specifically is not for the faint of heart. That being said it was missing something....when I read a true crime book I'm just not looking for a recounting of the police report...granted this goes deeper than that...but I struggled to find that overriding goal...the point being made...I did see the recurring message that the local officials are working diligently with the local minority communities ...and from what is said ...it appears that is true and making progress...but I am pretty positive ...every single law enforcement agency across the country would be saying the same thing...Mr. Burke gives many examples of this but I guess I wanted a little deeper dive into that...I feel that is the number one issue with our police force today....nationwide...Maybe interviews with those leaders...include them in the book itself...Mr. Burke talks about riots in the 60's where the city was burned ...and specifically states that this hasn't happened since...but that alone does not prove anything...
All in all ...for true crime it was a good book ...but for those looking for the promise of reaching out...a more detailed movement...it falls a little short...
Ok...so I really liked the book...as an avid reader of true crime it fulfilled that aspect...
Retired detective Doyle Burke ...working with the Dayton, Ohio, police force...recounts several cases from minor to horrid...honestly....horrid...one specifically is not for the faint of heart. That being said it was missing something....when I read a true crime book I'm just not looking for a recounting of the police report...granted this goes deeper than that...but I struggled to find that overriding goal...the point being made...I did see the recurring message that the local officials are working diligently with the local minority communities ...and from what is said ...it appears that is true and making progress...but I am pretty positive ...every single law enforcement agency across the country would be saying the same thing...Mr. Burke gives many examples of this but I guess I wanted a little deeper dive into that...I feel that is the number one issue with our police force today....nationwide...Maybe interviews with those leaders...include them in the book itself...Mr. Burke talks about riots in the 60's where the city was burned ...and specifically states that this hasn't happened since...but that alone does not prove anything...
All in all ...for true crime it was a good book ...but for those looking for the promise of reaching out...a more detailed movement...it falls a little short...
August 31, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to former Detective Burke for writing this novel.
For some reason I thought this book was about being solely a medical investigator (the person who performs autopsies). It is not! Detective Doyle Burke is a former homicide detective from Dayton, Ohio. Several of his career stories chilled me to the bone and made me quite sick, but I suppose that’s to be expected as being a homicide investigator is not for the feint of heart.
Death as a Living was interesting and decently well-written. My main criticisms is the timeline doesn’t seem to linear and I didn’t understand why it wasn’t; and I wish more had been written about racism and the domestic violence that all too often comes at the hand of police officers towards their partners, and more on the topic of police brutality which isn’t warranted. I can’t even imagine being an officer, and I’m not saying I could do a better job, but there have been far too many instances especially in 2020 and 2021 that make police brutality and officer-involved shootings a prominent topic of discussion and I wish Burke had covered them more and more equally. However, this was s good peek behind the curtain of homicide squads in average American city.
For some reason I thought this book was about being solely a medical investigator (the person who performs autopsies). It is not! Detective Doyle Burke is a former homicide detective from Dayton, Ohio. Several of his career stories chilled me to the bone and made me quite sick, but I suppose that’s to be expected as being a homicide investigator is not for the feint of heart.
Death as a Living was interesting and decently well-written. My main criticisms is the timeline doesn’t seem to linear and I didn’t understand why it wasn’t; and I wish more had been written about racism and the domestic violence that all too often comes at the hand of police officers towards their partners, and more on the topic of police brutality which isn’t warranted. I can’t even imagine being an officer, and I’m not saying I could do a better job, but there have been far too many instances especially in 2020 and 2021 that make police brutality and officer-involved shootings a prominent topic of discussion and I wish Burke had covered them more and more equally. However, this was s good peek behind the curtain of homicide squads in average American city.
Want to read
December 8, 2021When I review for NetGalley, I'm reviewing for librarians. I'm thinking, 'do I need to buy this for my collection? Will my patrons read this?' Oh, heck yeah!
Burke paints an unflinchingly vivid portrait of the gruesome work of a homicide detective. Still, this book is an easy read--fascinating and educational. Life advice: "Never have your girlfriend with you right after you kill your wife." Burke teaches us how to dress like a homicide detective and how to walk the walk & talk the talk. At the same time, it never feels like he's overacting for us or exaggerating. I learned a ton of lingo reading this book. I feel like DRT may be my new go-to response (Dead Right There). I watch a ton of true crime documentaries but "mud vein" was new and then there are the all-important factors with any crime: COD, MOD, and TOD.
Highly recommended for true crime fans and police procedural (fiction) fans who want to read about the real thing. Also, not bad as a reference for crime writers.
Burke paints an unflinchingly vivid portrait of the gruesome work of a homicide detective. Still, this book is an easy read--fascinating and educational. Life advice: "Never have your girlfriend with you right after you kill your wife." Burke teaches us how to dress like a homicide detective and how to walk the walk & talk the talk. At the same time, it never feels like he's overacting for us or exaggerating. I learned a ton of lingo reading this book. I feel like DRT may be my new go-to response (Dead Right There). I watch a ton of true crime documentaries but "mud vein" was new and then there are the all-important factors with any crime: COD, MOD, and TOD.
Highly recommended for true crime fans and police procedural (fiction) fans who want to read about the real thing. Also, not bad as a reference for crime writers.
July 21, 2022
Wow! This is an amazing inside look at the life of a homicide investigator. Burke takes you inside some of his most memorable cases while also explaining what being a homicide detective is really like and what it takes to get there. Some of these cases were brutal and he doesn’t spare details including information from autopsies and rigor mortis etc so this book may be triggering for some and may not be for you if you have a weak stomach. However, this book was so much more than just an overview of true crime cases. He discusses what it is really like to work in homicide. From the closeness that everyone shares from being in life and death situations to the heartbreak when an officer is killed in the line of duty to the humor that officers share to make it through being called away from their families on holidays. This book is a must read for any true crime fan and anyone who is interested in policing! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 3, 2022
This was a fantastic insight into homicide investigations where you not only get the facts of the cases, but also see the emotional side of things for those involved in the investigations and the ripple effect immediately as well as years later. You get a great insight into the cases talked about so you can really picture what's going on, picture the people involved including the victims and those trying to solve the case. There are some truly sad cases as well as ones that make you angry and there are also times you smile due to the comradery of the police involved (I especially loved the part about the Bosnian Investigators Enis and Samir ) as well as the never ending bond that can happen during someone's worst moments. An extremely well written book that makes me want to buy a paperback version to have on my shelf at home.
September 15, 2022
I picked this one up on a whim when I saw it at the library.
The book is essentially what it says on the tin - a homicide detective from the Midwest going over a variety of cases and what it's like to hold such a job. It's not the easiest read by any means - there is an awful lot of tragedy. You see some good things happen, and a whole lot of bad. Burke writes with a starkness befitting his position, and pays respect where it is due.
It was an interesting look at a job that I myself wanted to pursue when I was younger, but never quite ended up doing so. I'd recommend it if anyone is curious at looking at the reality of what life is like as a homicide detective in a place where that would require working near constantly.
The book is essentially what it says on the tin - a homicide detective from the Midwest going over a variety of cases and what it's like to hold such a job. It's not the easiest read by any means - there is an awful lot of tragedy. You see some good things happen, and a whole lot of bad. Burke writes with a starkness befitting his position, and pays respect where it is due.
It was an interesting look at a job that I myself wanted to pursue when I was younger, but never quite ended up doing so. I'd recommend it if anyone is curious at looking at the reality of what life is like as a homicide detective in a place where that would require working near constantly.
December 8, 2021
This is an absolutely fascinating insight into the life of an American Police Homicide Detective in the 80s and 90s. As you can imagine with death and mortality as the main subject matter there are many difficult to read parts which will never leave me. As a civilan, this really gave me an understanding of what happens when someone dies and the multiple cogs and wheels that start turning and how the simplest clue can lead to a suspect being identified and charged. I would really recommend this book but would also caution that it is not for the faint hearted and deals with very tough and hard subject matters.
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